ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
Release of Crude Oil from Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves
India strongly believes that the pricing of liquid hydrocarbons should be reasonable, responsible and be determined by market forces. India has repeatedly expressed concern at supply of oil being artificially adjusted below demand levels by oil producing countries, leading to rising prices and negative attendant consequences.
India has agreed to release 5 million barrels of crude oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserves. This release will happen in parallel and in consultation with other major global energy consumers including the USA, People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi has been consistently reviewing the high petroleum/diesel prices domestically. In a bid to control inflationary pressures, Government of India had reduced the ‘central excise duty’ on petrol and diesel by Rs. 5 and Rs. 10 respectively on 3 November 2021. It was followed by reduction in VAT on fuel by many state governments. These difficult steps, despite the high fiscal burden on the Government, were taken in order to provide relief to citizens.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Symposium for Safer Roads and rectification of Black Spots
A symposium on “Safer Roads/Blackspots and discussion on Plan for Rectification of Black Spots during Next One Year” was organised by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in two sessions on 3rd & 4th February at Media Centre of Transport Bhawan, New Delhi.
Keeping the health safety concerns related to COVID-19 pandemic, the sessions were organized in hybrid mode where nine distinguished panelists representing government, academic institutions and consultants and about 20 participants joined physically and about 850 participants joined online.
Secretary Road Transport & Highways, Shri Giridhar Aramane inaugurated the symposium on 3rd February 2021. During his inaugural speech, he emphasized the need to be proactive and design roads in such a way so that accidents do not happen due to road engineering features and in case due to change in ground scenarios some road sections become vulnerable, an immediate intervention be made to save precious human life and resources. Director General Road Development Shri I. K. Pandey also endorsed these views during his keynote address and asked the participants to be vigilant on ground. He also advised all Regional Officers of the ministry that while inspecting the National Highways, they should look into the safety concern on the roads other than National Highways, make note of such issues and send it to the concerned State authority for their action. All the distinguished panelists further enlightened the participants on safety audit, design aspect of junctions, Expressways, hill roads, proper signages and safety ranking of the roads.
Unlike Road Safety Week every year, the Ministry is celebrating Road Safety Month this year from 18th January 2021 to 17th February 2021. During this period many events are being organised to review the progress made and to evolve new strategies for reduction in road accidents & fatalities.
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BN : MS
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Special Service and Features
Staff Selection Commission invites applications for 24369 posts
The Staff Selection Commission has invited applications for approximately 24369 posts that includes 2626 vacancies for women candidates. SSC will conduct open Competitive Computer Based 'Constable  in Central Armed Police Forces,SSF, Riflemanin Assam Rifles and Sepoy in Narcotics Control Bureau Examination-2022 in January,2023. The exact date of the examination will be intimated later. Interested candidates may apply online through the website http://ssc.nic.in before 11 PM on 30th November 2022. Women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, ex-servicemen, differently abled candidates are exempted from the fee.
For examination scheme and more details, candidates may please visit http://ssc.nic.in. Candidates may also contact 080-25502520,9483862020 from 10 AM to 5PM on weekdays.
--NS--
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Ministry of Power
Status of installation of Hydroelectric Power Plants across the country
As per Section 8  of Electricity Act, 2003, any generating company intending to set-up a hydro generating station involving capital expenditure of more than 1000 Cr. is required to get its project cleared by the Central Electricity Authority.
As per information available in CEA, 98 HEPs with aggregate installed capacity of 58,196.5 MW are in pipeline in the country at various stages. The present status of these HEPs is as under:
- 31 HEPs with aggregate installed capacity of 21,065 MW are at Survey and Investigation stage.
- Detailed Project Reports  of 2 HEPs with aggregate installed capacity of 1,700 MW are at examination stage in CEA for concurrence.
- DPRs of 29 HEPs with aggregate installed capacity of 22,768 MW have been concurred by CEA and yet to be taken up for construction for various reasons
- 36 HEPs  with aggregate installed capacity of 12,663.5 MW are under construction in the country.
This information was given by Shri R.K Singh, Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Communications
India Post to Issue Special Cancellation Capturing Essence of IDY from GPO & 6 other Post Offices of Kolkata on World Yoga Day
Kolkata, June 18, 2021
The Department of Posts or India Post is going to issue a special cancellation  to capture the essence of the International Day of Yoga  on June 21, this year. India Post will issue this special cancellation with a pictorial design through its 810 Head Post Offices across the country. The special pictorial cancellation stamp will be an inked impression with a graphical design with International Day of Yoga 2021 written in both Hindi and English languages. All delivery and non-delivery Head Post Offices will put this special cancellation on all mail booked on June 21, 2021.
On June 21, this year, the Special Cancellation on IDY will be issued from Kolkata GPO along with six other Head Post Offices of the city Kolkata. They are Park Street HO, Beliaghata HO, Burrabazar HO, Cossipore HO, Tollygunge HO and Alipore HO. Besides, similar issuance will be observed at other Head Post Offices of Kolkata region.
The main theme of this year is-‘Be with Yoga, Be at Home’, considering the Covid pandemic situation. As the country is cautiously comin out of the lockdown, this massive postal commemoration activity with more than 800 collectibles opens up immense philatelic opportunities in the country.
Ministry of Defence
MoD accords in-principle approval to four projects under Make-I  & five under Make-II  categories of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020
In a major boost to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call for ‘Aatmanirbharta’, Ministry of Defence , in a landmark step, has offered four projects to the Indian Industry for design & development under Make-I category of Defence Acquisition Procedure  2020. The industry will be provided financial support for prototype development of these projects. The list of projects which were accorded ‘Approval In-Principle ’ by Collegiate Committee of MoD is as follow:
- Indian Air Force: Communication Equipment with Indian Security Protocols 
- Indian Air Force: Airborne Electro Optical pod with Ground Based System
- Indian Air Force: Airborne Stand-off Jammer
- Indian Army: Indian Light Tank
This is for the first time since the launch of industry-friendly DAP-2020 that Indian Industry has been involved in development of big ticket platforms such as Light tank and Communication Equipment with Indian security protocols.
In addition, AIP has also been accorded to following five projects under industry-funded Make-II procedure:
- Indian Air Force: Full Motion Simulator for Apache Helicopter
- Indian Air Force: Full Motion Simulator for Chinook Helicopter
- Indian Air Force: Wearable Robotic Equipment for Aircraft Maintenance
- Indian Army: Integrated Surveillance and Targeting System for Mechanised Forces
- Indian Army: Autonomous Combat Vehicle
Projects under 'Make-II' category involve prototype development of equipment/system/platform or their upgrades or their sub-systems/sub-assembly/assemblies/components, primarily for import substitution/innovative solutions, for which no Government funding will be provided for prototype development purposes.
The indigenous development of these projects in the country will help harness the design capabilities of Indian defence Industry and position India as a design leader in these technologies.
ABB/Savvy
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Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
India witnesses a surge in LPG consumption
Kolkata, 10th March, 2021
Riding on the vigorous thrust of the Government on making affordable and clean energy to all Indians, LPG has transformed as the preferred kitchen partner of almost every Indian. Taking the vision of PM forward to make energy accessible, available and affordable for even the poorest of the poor, the oil & gas industry, under the aegis of MoP&NG, has provided 8 crore LPG connections to PMUY beneficiaries pan-India.
LPG consumption has improved amongst PMUY customers. A surge of 23.2% in LPG consumption was noted in the initial quarter of this fiscal, which was attributed to the three free LPG refills given to the PMUY beneficiaries.
It is notable that the improvement in LPG consumption has continued for the three-month period December 2020-Feb 2021and hasregistered a growth of 7.3% for all domestic LPG customers . LPG consumption amongst PMUY customers registered a growth of 19.5%, from 8,45,310 MT in the comparable period in the last fiscal to 10,10,054 MT in the current fiscal for the said three-month period. Compared year-on-year, the overall domestic LPG sales have registered a handsome growth of 10.3% during the current fiscal .
To alleviate the problems faced by the marginalized during the lockdown, PMUY beneficiaries were provided with three free LPG refills. A total of Rs.9670 crore was transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries directly.
It is noteworthy to mention that LPG penetration in India has improved from 55% in 2014 to more than 99% as on 10th March 2021. This is a sign of positive behavioural change towards better health and cleaner environment. This widespread acceptance of LPG as the preferred kitchen fuel of almost every Indian showcases the surging popularity of LPG as the primary kitchen fuel as compared to other traditional fuels such as firewood.
It may also be noted that while the upfront per kg cost of firewood is cheaper, LPG is a more economical fuel in the long run when costs such as total volume of fuel consumed and handling costs are factored in. Even at the current rates, LPG is cheaperthan firewood/ other traditional fuels in many states, largely on account of its overall heating efficiency.
Beyond the obvious health benefits and cost savings, the use of LPG by PMUY beneficiaries has led to reduction in time poverty. The time saved from the drudgery of collecting firewood is being used by the beneficiaries to find gainful employment and contribute to a growing economy. The financial savings on account of LPG as fuel, in addition to other benefits such as betterhealth and time saved, make it an enduring choice of every Indian.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Smart policing is the need of the hour: Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir at 19th All India Conference of Directors of Finger Print Bureaux
Fingerprint Database of NCRB needs to be expanded, says Minister
‘Compendium of Finger Print equipment – 2018’ released
The Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir has said that there is a need to amend the Identification of Prisoners Act 1920, to provide legal authority for taking of finger impressions, photographs and measurements of persons arrested. Use of technology by criminals is posing a new challenge to the police force in solving crimes, he said. Inaugurating the 19th All India Conference of Directors of Finger Print Bureaux in Hyderabad today, the Minister said that the data base of the National Crime Records Bureau  which has just 11.5 lakh finger print records needs to be expanded. He said that finger print evidence is considered reliable by investigators and jurists as it is fool proof and an effective forensic tool.
Shri Ahir stressed on the need to modernise the police force and said smart policing is the need of the hour, at a time when criminals have access to technology and are using it to commit crimes. If the police force works to bring down the crime rate and ensure criminals are punished, fewer people would resort to committing crimes, he said.
In his welcome address Shri Ish Kumar, Director, National Crime Records Bureau  said that finger prints are used as unique identity in many countries for solving crimes. He said the NCRB, which is a repository of crime records, needs to expand its data base very soon.
Shri Mahender Reddy, DGP, Telangana State said that 868 undetected cases in the state have been solved using the automated finger prints identification system.
Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir gave away Aziz-ul-Haq trophy to finger print experts who excelled in the All India Board Exam. He also released two books titled ‘Compendium of Finger Print equipment – 2018’ and ‘Award of excellence in identification’.
The two-day conference being organised in Hyderabad for the first time will deliberate on finger print identification systems and modernization of state finger print bureaux among other issues.
Ministry of Finance
Exchange Rate Notification No. 73/2022 - Customs 
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962 , and in supersession of the Notification No. 70/2022-Customs, dated 18th August, 2022 except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs hereby determines that the rate of exchange of conversion of each of the foreign currencies specified in column  of each of Schedule I and Schedule II annexed hereto, into Indian currency or vice versa, shall, with effect from 2nd September, 2022, be the rate mentioned against it in the corresponding entry in column  thereof, for the purpose of the said section, relating to imported and export goods.
SCHEDULE-I
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Sl.
No.
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Foreign Currency
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Rate of exchange of one unit of foreign currency equivalent to Indian rupees
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-
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1.
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Australian Dollar
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55.45
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53.10
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2.
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Bahraini Dinar
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217.70
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204.65
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3.
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Canadian Dollar
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61.50
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59.45
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4.
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Chinese Yuan
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11.70
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11.35
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5.
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Danish Kroner
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10.90
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10.55
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6.
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EURO
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81.25
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78.25
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7.
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Hong Kong Dollar
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10.30
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9.95
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8.
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Kuwaiti Dinar
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266.40
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250.20
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9.
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New Zealand Dollar
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49.85
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47.55
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10.
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Norwegian Kroner
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8.10
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7.85
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11.
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Pound Sterling
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93.80
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90.60
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12.
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Qatari Riyal
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22.30
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20.95
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13.
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Saudi Arabian Riyal
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21.85
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20.50
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14.
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Singapore Dollar
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57.75
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55.90
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15.
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South African Rand
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4.80
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4.50
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16.
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Swedish Kroner
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7.55
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7.30
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17.
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Swiss Franc
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82.75
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79.70
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18.
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Turkish Lira
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4.50
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4.25
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19.
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UAE Dirham
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22.35
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21.00
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20.
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US Dollar
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80.45
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78.70
SCHEDULE-II
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Sl.
No.
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Foreign Currency
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Rate of exchange of 100 units of foreign currency equivalent to Indian rupees
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-
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1.
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Japanese Yen
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57.95
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56.10
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2.
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Korean Won
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6.05
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5.70
Ministry of Defence
DGMO Level Talks on Hotline for Ceasefire Implementation
The existing Hotline mechanism was initiated by Pakistan’s DGMO at 1800 hours . Both the DGsMO reviewed the prevailing situation along the Line of Control and International Border in J&K. Indian Army DGMO agreed with the proposal to undertake sincere measures to improve the existing situation to ensure peace and avoidance of hardships to the civilians along the borders.
Both the DGsMO agreed to fully implement the Ceasefire Understanding of 2003 in letter and spirit forthwith and to ensure that henceforth, the Ceasefire will not be violated by both sides. It was also mutually agreed that in case of any issue, restraint will be exercised and the matter will be resolved through utilisation of existing mechanisms of Hotline Contacts and Border Flag Meetings at Local Commanders’ Level.
Manoj Tuli
APRO 
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Ministry of Defence
INDIAN ARMY CONTINGENT LEAVES FOR ADMM PLUS EWG ON COUNTER TERRORISM FIELD TRAINING EXERCISE 2023 IN RUSSIA
Indian Army Contingent consisting of 32 personnel from a Battalion affiliated to the RAJPUTANA RIFLES departed for ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting  Plus Expert Working Group  on Counter Terrorism Field Training Exercise  2023 scheduled to be conducted from 25th to 30th September 2023 in Russia. It is a multinational joint military exercise being hosted by Russia as a co-chair of the EWG along with Myanmar. It was preceded by Table Top Exercise of the ADMM Plus EWG on Counter Terrorism at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from 2nd to 4th August 2023.
Since 2017, the ADMM Plus meets annually to allow dialogue and cooperation among Association of Southeast Asian Nations  and Plus countries. The inaugural ADMM Plus was convened in Ha Noi, Vietnam on 12th October 2010. This year ASEAN member states along with Plus Group will be participating in the exercise.
The exercise will comprise of a number of counter terrorism drills including destroying of terrorist groups in a fortified area. The main objective of the exercise is strengthening and promoting regional cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism.
ADMM Plus EWG on Counter-terrorism 2023 will provide Indian Army with a platform to share their expertise and best practices in counter-terrorism operations besides increasing cooperation between other 12 participating countries. Indian Army looks forward to an enriching professional experience from the exercise.
Cabinet
Cabinet approves creation of 7 posts of Principal Director and 36 posts of Director on regular basis in the Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today has given its approval for 7 posts of Principal Director and 36 posts of Director on regular basis in the Armed Forces Headquarters  Civil Service, Ministry of Defence as part of restructuring .
Creation of regular posts in the AFHQ Civil Service will alleviate stagnation the cadre. It will be in the interest of better cadre management and bring improvement in the efficiency of the service. This would be an innovative measure entailing no additional cost but would bring benefits from the perspective of cadre management and enable its better utilisation.
Creation of regular posts in the place of “in situ” promotions will ensure more transparency in cadre management. Assigning of higher responsibilities on regular posts will result in greater productivity and accountability with respect to AFHQ CS officers.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
MSC HAMBURG Successfully Completes Historic Journey to JNPA Terminal
Mumbai, June 18, 2023
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority  proudly announces the safe arrival of MSC HAMBURG, the longest vessel ever to call an Indian Port, at the BMCT Terminal. This significant milestone marks a momentous achievement for JNPA and the maritime industry, reaffirming JNPA's crucial role in global trade and its commitment to strengthening international supply chains.
MSC HAMBURG, a remarkable Container Ship constructed in 2015 and sailing under the flag of Panama, has demonstrated its prowess with an impressive carrying capacity of 16,652 TEUs and a current draught of 14 meters. Stretching 399 meters in length overall  and 54 meters in width, MSC HAMBURG's arrival is testament to the vessel's exceptional capabilities.
The meticulously planned and flawlessly executed journey of MSC HAMBURG spanned thousands of nautical miles, as it navigated the seas with utmost precision to reach the JNPA terminal in a safe and timely manner. This remarkable accomplishment showcases the professionalism and expertise of the entire crew entrusted with the responsibility of managing the vessel's operations.
As a vital gateway for international shipments, JNPA plays a pivotal role in fortifying global supply chains. The successful arrival of MSC HAMBURG further enhances JNPA's capabilities in meeting the ever-growing demands of international trade. Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman of JNPA, expressed his elation, stating, "We are delighted to announce the safe arrival of MSC HAMBURG at our terminal. This outstanding achievement exemplifies the strength of JNPA's maritime capabilities and the state-of-the-art infrastructure available at our port. The arrival of MSC HAMBURG signifies another remarkable milestone in establishing JNPA as a global hub for maritime excellence."
In recognition of this historic call, a commemorative plaque was presented to the Master of MSC HAMBURG by Shri Balasaheb Pawar, Deputy Conservator of JNPA, and Shri Girish Thomas, General Manager  of JNPA, on behalf of Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA, and Shri Unmesh Sharad Wagh, IRS, Deputy Chairman, JNPA.
Cabinet
Cabinet approves MoU on Cooperation in the field of Medicinal Plants between India and Equatorial Guinea
The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding  on Cooperation in the field of Medicinal Plants between India and Equatorial Guinea
The MoU will further enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the area of Medicinal Plants.
The financial resources necessary to conduct research, training courses, conferences / meetings will be met from the existing allocated budget and existing plan schemes of the National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of AYUSH.
Background:
India is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of biodiversity, having 15 agro-climatic zones. Out of the 17000-18000 species of flowering plants, more than 7000 are estimated to have medicinal usage in folk and documented systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathy . About 1178 species of medicinal plants are estimated to be in trade of which 242 species have annual consumption levels in excess of 100 metric tonnes/year. Medicinal plants are not only a major resource base for the traditional medicine & herbal industry but also provide livelihood and health security to a large segment of Indian population. There is global resurgence in traditional and alternative health care systems resulting in world herbal trade which stands at US$ 120 billion and is expected to reach US$ 7 trillion by 2050. Moreover, there are a large number of medicinal plants, particularly those found in tropical region, which are common to the two countries given similar geo-climatic factors.
President's Secretariat
President of India pays floral tributes to Shri R. Venkataraman on his birth anniversary
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, paid floral tributes to Shri R. Venkataraman, former President of India, on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan today . The President, family members of Shri R. Venkataraman as well as officers and staff of the President’s Secretariat paid respects before a portrait of Shri Venkataraman.